Weft-replenishing mechanism for looms



April 1, 1930. R. e. TURNER WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS F iled Sept. 12, 1928 7/7 1 EN F /c 72//Fl7@- ERA/.47

Patented Apr. 1, 1930 RICHARD G. TURNER, OF "WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T CROMPTON &

. KNOWLES LOOM W'ORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASE'AOHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF I MASSACHUSETTS WEFT-REPLENISHI'NG MECHANISM FOR LOOMS I Application filed-September 12, 1928. Serial No. 305,430.

' This invention relates to improvementsin weft replenishing mechanism for looms and it is the object of theinvention to provide improved means for holding reserve bobbins in such mechanism while they await transfer.

In the usual form of multicolor weft replenishing mechanism the reserve bobbins are held in a plurality of vertical stacks or compartments, the bobbins moving downwardly by. gravity toward transfer position. It is found that in some instances, due to the vibration of theloom, the bobbins will rotate on their axes to such an extent as to tighten the end which extends from the bobbins to the thread holder. When this happens the thread is likely to bebroken at the time of transfer. with the result that the loom will stop through the action of the filling stop motion and the continuous operation which 20 the replenishing mechanism seeks to insure is interrupted. It has been proposed heretofore to shape the butts of the bobbins so that they will cooperatewith a device which will prevent them from rotating. Such 25 means may'have a wireextending parallel to and projecting intoa bobbin compartment and lying in grooves cut-in. the butts of the bobbins. I

, While this method is effective in most instances to prevent rotation of thebobbins yet when the yarn diameter of the bobbin is less than thebutt diameter the upper bobbins of the magazine are'rather steeply inclined, the

tip ends of the bobbin sloping downwardly to such an extent that the slotted part of the bobbin butts move away from the restraining wire.; The result is that although the magazine or-replenishing mechanism is capable of storing a comparatively large number of bobbins yet as a matter of factthree or four bobbins are found to be the maximum which can be safely placed in any one compartment.

It isan important object of my present invention to provide means for separating the bobbins in any one compartment into rela tively small groups, the uppermost bobbin of each group being disposed at a suiliciently small angle so that the slotted butt thereof will-properly cooperate with the restraining element."

In co-pending application Ser. No. 294,617, filed by Geronimo there is shown an attachment or trip for each compartment effective to enlarge the effective capacity of a weft replenishing mechanism operating with bobbins having yarn diameter less than the butt dlameters, and it is a further object of-my present invention to combine the device shown in said co-pending application with a f v bobbin restrainingv device operating to prevent rotating of the bobbins.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my

1 invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown a convenient embodiment of my invention, 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a weft replenishing mechanism havingmy invention applied thereto, and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view taken in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. l and showing a portion of the magazine shown in Fig. 1;

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a magazine M as being formed of an inside plate 10 and an outside plate 11, the inside plate being provided with substantially B. The butts of the bobbins are provided a with the usual steel split rings 18 which are received by the shuttle springs not shown of the type customarily employed on replenishing looms.v

At the bottom of each of the compartments or guideways is pivoted a rotatable element known in the trade as a cradle, being shown herein at 20 as having bearings 21 and 22 1 in the plates 10 and 11, respectively. By mechanism not shown but well understood the cradles are given a partial rotation upon indication of substantial exhaustion of weft shuttle again returns to the magazine side of the loom the cradles are rocked back to their original position to discharge the lowermost bobbin of the corresponding stack. A thread holder T is secured to the plate 11 and has secured thereto the ends W of weft extending from the reserve bobbins.

The matter thus far described is of common construction, formin no part of my present invention, and may be substantially the same as set forth in the patent to Ryon No. 1,030,746.

In carrying my invention into efiect I provide each of the plates 10 and 11 with elements which cooperate to enable the magazine to accommodate more reserve bobbinsthan is possible with the usual magazine when the bobbins are wound as set forth herein. It will be seen by referring to the drawings that the yarn portion Y of the bobbins 'is considerably less in diameter thanthe butts 14 or the rings-l8 and as a result the'bobbins are inclined as suggested in Fig. l, the tips of the upper bobbins being below their corresponding butts. As previously stated the effect of this is to permit the butts of the bobbins to move away from the plate 10.

The butt of eachbobbin is provided with a slot 30 which preferably extends diametrically across the outer face of the butt and each compartment is provided with a restraining wire 31 whichmay be secured at the upper and lower portions thereof as at-32 and 33, respectively, to that part of the plate defining a part of the corresponding compartment. Under normal conditions the reserve bobbins lying above the cradles 20 will be related to the wire 31 asset forth in Fig. 2, said wire effectively preventing rotation of the bobbins on their axes and thereby preventing entanglement of the weft ends W which extend to the-thread holder T.

In each compartment 16 for the tips of the bobbins there is located a trip 40 which projects into the compartment 16 a slight distance. .The trip is located at the proper distance above the cradles 20 so as to separate thebobbins into two groups as shown herein,

. although as set forth in the aforesaid application, I am not restricted to one trip but may use as many as are found necessary depending upon the height of the magazine.

In operation, the cradle or control member 20 will be acted upon by a mechanism i not'shown to discharge the bobbins of the corresponding stack one at a time so that the bobbins may move toward transfer position. During the time that the reserve bobbins above the member 20 are awaiting transfer the magazine will be subject to more or less rotation due to jarring and vibration of the loom, but because of the wire 30 the bobbins will be prevented from rotating upon their axes and the weft ends N will not become entangled with each other. As the bobbins move downwardly toward the member 20 the upper group being disengaged fro1n the .trip 7 as it moves downwardly toward the cradle 20.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the trip tO cooperates with the bobbins to hold the latter in relatively small groups so that the uppermost bobbin of each group, While inclined, will be in the position to be properly engaged by the restraining wire 30. Nhile I have shown the wire 30 as entering slots in the bobbin butts yet I do not wish to be limited to this particular form of device for preventing-rotationiof the bobbins. Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled inthe art without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention and I-donot wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing magazine operating with bobbins the butts of which are each provided with a noiiscylindrical surface ex tending substantially parallel to the axis of the bobbins, the yarn. on the bobbins being wound to adiameter lessthan the diameter of the bobbin butts, a guideway forthebutts of the bobbins, asecond guideway ,forthej tips of the bobbins the bobbins moving downith-e guideways by gravity, a device extending along the guideway for the butts to engage the non-cylindrical surfaces and prevent rotation of the bobbins about their axes, and stationary means located alongthe guideway for the tips of the bobbins to engage the tips and prevent such-aninclination of the bobbins in the upper part of the guideways as would move the non-cylindricalsurfaces off the bobbin butts away from the'device.

2. In a weft replenishing magazine operating with bobbins the butts of which are each provided with a non-cylindrical surface extending substantially parallel to the axis of the bobbins, the yarn on the bobbins being wound to a diameter less than'the diameter of the bobbin butts, means to engagethe noncylindrical surfaces to prevent rotation ,of the bobbins on their axes and a stationary'device to hold the upper bobbins in the magazine in proper angular positionto' insure en 7 gagement of the means and non-cylindrical surfaces. r

3. In a weft replenishing magazine operating with bobbins the butts of which areeach provided with a non-cylindrical surfaces tending substantially parallel to the axis of the bobbins, the yarn on the bobbins being Wound to a diameter less than the diameter of the bobbin butts, a guideway for the butts of the bobbins, a second guideway for the tips of the bobbins the bobbins moving down the guideways by gravity, a device extending along the guideway for the butts to engage the non-cylindrical surfaces and prevent rotation of the bobbins about their axes, a stationary trip projecting into the guideway for the tips of the bobbins located in the upper part of the magazine to hold the bobbins in proper angular position to insure engagement of the device and non-cylindrical surfaces.

4c. In a weft replenishing magazine operating with bobbins having radial slots extending across the end of the butt thereof, the yarn diameter of the bobbins being less than the butt diameter, a guideway for the bobbin butts, an elongated member extending into the guideway to enter the radialslots of the bobbin butts to restrain rotation of the bobbins on their axes, a second guideway for the tips of the bobbins the bobbins moving down the guidevvays by gravity, and a stationary trip extending into the second guide- Way to engage the tips of the bobbins as they j pass along the guideways, said trip holding the bobbins thereabove in such angular position as to insure holding the member in the slots.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. 7

- RICHARD G. TURNER. 

